(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable die cutting apparatus, and more particularly to an improved cutting mat for die cutters.
(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98
Die cutting apparatus have long been used for cutting shapes and patterns from continuous sheet stock material. Rotary die cutting machines are typically expensive pieces of equipment, and are also expensive to operate, and are therefore unsuitable for smaller tasks.
In order to fulfill a need by educational institutions and the home consumer, a variety of smaller, portable roller die cutting machines have been developed. One such machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,260 to Stephen Nabity. This smaller, more economical device provides the necessary tools for cutting small shapes and designs, which may be used by the home craft industry as well as educational institutions.
A relatively new design of portable roller cutting die apparatus is that shown in pending patent application Ser. No. 29/227,314 entitled “Portable Die Cutter” and owned by the same owner of the present application. This portable device includes a pair of rollers mounted in spaced-apart parallel relationship and interconnected by gears to rotate simultaneously in opposing directions. The rollers are operably mounted within a lightweight housing, such that the entire device is lifted and operated with one hand of a consumer. A pair of wheels on the housing are rotated by pushing the housing along the surface of a table or the like, thereby rotating the rollers. A die assembly is fed between the rollers in a conventional fashion in order to cut stock positioned in the die assembly.
While the portable die cutter described above works well, there are aspects that it is desirable to address in order to improve the overall operation and ease of use of the device. For example, it is typical for the consumer to run the die assembly through the device 2 or 3 times to insure a clean continuous cut of the stock material. While this is not difficult to accomplish, it is undesirable to find that the apparatus was not operated a sufficient number of times to produce a clean cut. The partially cut stock is typically discarded, and the process started again. This can become frustrating if it occurs more than once during a session.
In addition to the frustration of a partially cut item, the increased number of times that the device is operated also reduces the life of the cutting mats and dies used in the machine. Thus, the efficiency of the machine is reduced proportional to the extra number of times that the machine must be operated to complete a cut.
The die assembly of prior art portable die cutters typically includes a base platform with a solid smooth upper surface. A cutting die is positioned on top of the platform with the die cutting edges projecting upwardly. The desired stock is placed on top of the die, and then a cutting mat is positioned over the top of the stock. This entire assembly is then fed between the rollers of the die cutter, which squeezes the assembly to cause the die to cut through the stock, against the cutting mat. The blade of the die cuts slightly into the cutting mat—thereby protecting the roller from being cut. The typical cutting mat is a sheet of plastic material, which must be replaced frequently during the die-cutting process, since the mat is partially cut during each operation of the device.
While plastic cutting mats work sufficiently, it is preferable to provide cutting mats of a more lasting material, such as spring steel. However, a drawback to the use of spring steel is that the mat is quite thin, and the edges of the mat can injure the user if not handled carefully. Thus, it is desirable to provide a holder for the cutting mat, which protects the users fingers from the edges of the mat.
Another drawback to spring steel cutting mats is the fact that the spring steel is not as compressible as the plastic material of plastic cutting mats. Thus, while the steel mats last longer, they can require additional runs through the die cutter to complete a cut.